On May 2nd 2017, I visited the number one Hanami spot in Hokkaido, Goryokaku Park to see the cherry blossom in full bloom. Although I lived within a mile from this park when I was young, I don’t remember the cherry blossoms in Goryokaku Park being a big deal in the past. I think the … More Hakodate Hanami Spot – Goryokaku Park
In May 2017, I had a chance to make a short visit to the famed Sapporo Ramen Ally. There are two ramen allies in Susukino, Sapporo area, but this is the original, old and authentic one. Ganso means original in Japanese. The shops are small, hole-in-the-wall and grungy, but if you want to taste the … More Ganso Sapporo Ramen Yokocho
Public alcohol consumption or intoxication is totally frowned upon in Japan EXCEPT Hanami time! At cherry blossom viewing, people can picnic on the park ground with open alcoholic drinks and even with kegs of beer. The municipalities publish the dates that people are allowed to picnic on the ground based on the cherry blossom forecast … More Hanami Picnic
If you have a chance to start a Shinkansen trip at Tokyo station, I’d recommend to get to the platform 30 minutes before the departure and line up at the head of the line to watch an incredible show. A Shinkansen arrives and unloads the passengers, then it has 20 minutes to make its return … More Cleaning the Shinkansen in 10 minutes
Recently in Japan, there are growing number of homes and apartments rented to short term visitors (namely, Airbnb), and they can be a real problem if the visitors are not well versed in Japanese behavioral standards. Airbnb style of renting has not been well known within Japan until just recently, and the customer base is … More Japanese Growing Pain of Foreign Tourism – MinShuku Pain
In April 2017, I had a chance to visit Arashiyama (嵐山), Kyoto for the first time. I lived in Japan when I was young, but never had a chance to visit Arashiyama before. I loved the atmosphere in Arashiyama. It felt like a clean country side rather than the suburb of the busy … More Arashiyama Beauty
I lived in Japan for many years when I was young, and visited Kyoto at least 5 times in the past. I have never known about Fushimi Inari Taisha until I started doing my research for my April 2017 trip. It was rated #1 in Tripadvisor Kyoto attraction. Since I didn’t know this place existed … More Fushimi Inari Taisha
What is your favorite type of sushi? Let me guess. It’s some sort of rolls, right? Something like California Roll, Dragon Roll or Rainbow Roll? If I tell you that these types of rolls are not available in Japan, would you be surprised? Sushi served in Japan is quite a bit different from sushi you … More Transformation of Sushi
(Japanese-Hawaiian connection series #3) While I was on the cruise to Hawaii about a month ago, I learned to Hula (in my previous blog post “Japanese Love of Hula“) and enjoyed it very much. I also learned some basic things about Hawaiian language. Hawaiian language has 5 vowels and 8 consonants. It’s very easy for … More Hawaiian and Japanese Language
(Japanese-Hawaiian connection series #2) I had a great time on the cruise to Hawaii in late February to early March. I wrote about the Japanese fondness of Hawaii in my previous blog post, “Japanese Hawaiian Connection“. On the cruise, I decided to participate in Hula dance classes that were held on the days the ship … More Japanese Love of Hula
